


In What Distant Deeps or Skies

by TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)



Series: Tumblr Follower Celebration Prompt-a-thon [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-06 12:03:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4221060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/equipoise/pseuds/TheScholarlyStrumpet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr prompt: Vampire!Gold<br/>Lord Von Stiltskin has a dangerous reputation. Lady Belle is unafraid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from The Tyger by William Blake

The mysterious Lord Von Stiltskin arrived unfashionably late to Lady Regina’s gala. She spoke a few choice words as he was announced. Still, she did not turn him away. She  _had_  issued him an invite, after all. One did not ignore the man with the largest estate in all the Marchlands.

It was just so rare for him to actually accept.

There was great talk of Von Stiltskin, especially among the ladies. Would he ask one of them to dance? He was rumored to be a magnificent dancer. Was he here to court one of them? And how would the chosen lady respond to such a dubious honor? It was said that Von Stiltskin could weave a spell with only his gaze. The last woman who met his eye directly (Lady Regina’s sister, incidentally) was said to have gone mad with desire for him.

Lady Belle French did not trouble herself with such trifling nonsense. She was, frankly, quite tired of being courted. She enjoyed the food and the dancing, sometimes the company at these gatherings. But to her mind, the men of the Marchlands looked at her as nothing more than a collection of parts – face, figure, and fortune. For them, her opinions were of little consequence and the sooner silenced, the better. And she was a woman of many opinions.

Unfortunately, at nearly 25, her impending spinsterhood was of serious concern to her father. So, he insisted she attend every ball, every sortie and gala. Luckily, he had sent her in the company of Miss Lucas, tonight, as he had taken to his bed with a slight cough. Otherwise, he would have been singing her praises to all who would listen and Belle would have felt very much like a sow, to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Lord Von Stiltskin made his way gracefully across the room, people scurrying from his path. He asked Lady Regina to join him in a dance. She bit back a scowl and commanded the musicians to play for them. It was a little old fashioned but simple to learn and soon many other couples had joined them.

The next dance began and Belle was asked by the shy Lord Archibald to take a turn with him. He was impeccably polite and had a kind smile, so she agreed. This dance involved changing partners and Belle soon found herself opposite none other than Lord Von Stiltskin, himself. She was surprised to find that he was not much taller than she was. His build was delicate but there was a steely strength behind his elegant movements. The hands touching hers felt roughened by labor – very unlike any Lord she had ever met.

She inclined her head demurely at first, but curiosity got the better of her. She looked up. He was handsomer than she had expected, his face only a little lined with time but exceedingly pleasant to look upon. His brown hair, the ends just brushing his shoulders, shone in the lamplight and looked soft to the touch. His mouth, curved into a half-smile, had a sensual appeal. She wondered briefly, if he  _were_  to court her, what it might be like to kiss him. Heat curled in her belly at the thought and she felt her cheeks flush.

And then, his eyes, large and golden-brown, locked on hers. The effect was immediate, as though she had been drinking far too many glasses of wine. The entire world began to narrow to only those two eyes, everything beyond them lost in a haze. Her heart pounded in her chest, breath coming short. She felt as though he could see inside her very soul. But Belle had nothing to hide. She did not fight the intrusion. Without words, she told Von Stiltskin that he frightened her not. With her mind’s eye, she felt rather than saw his eyes go impossibly wide.

Then he was gone. One moment, they had been dancing together and the next, he had made the swiftest exit she had ever seen. Belle blinked rapidly, trying to bring the room back into focus. Everything was spinning and far too bright. And then all was darkness.

When Belle awoke, she had been tucked into a small guest bedroom at Lady Regina’s manor. She was in her shift, but covered by a thick, soft blanket. A candle burned at the table beside her.

“Lady Belle, I am glad to see you recovered.” Lady Regina appeared out of the shadow, still garbed in her evening finery.

“Yes… thank you, M’Lady. I do not know what came over me. Perhaps my set was too tight.” Belle eased herself to sitting, clutching the blanket.

“Do not play coy with me, girl.” Regina’s voice was hard. “I know. I saw you dancing with him before you fell. But what did you do to make him flee like that? What did you say?”

Belle swallowed, her mouth felt dry. “I do not know, M’Lady. Honestly, I said nothing.”  _Aloud_ , she amended to herself.

Regina shook her head. “I do not believe you. But that is fine. I’ve told the entire party that I’ve sent you home. Word has been sent to your father that you have taken ill and will be seen to in my care.” She produced a key and held it aloft. “There is only one door and this is its only key. You shall be locked into this room until you tell me the truth.”

Belle gaped incredulously at the older woman. “You cannot do that!”

Regina gave a slow, mirthless smile. “I can and I have. It’s really for your own protection, dear. Just because he fled from you once doesn’t mean he won’t come for you. My sister was not so lucky as to have my protection when she chanced upon him. We did not then know of his danger. I’m sure you’ve heard what became of her.”

Without really thinking, Belle scrambled from the bed and launched herself at Regina. She grabbed for the key, but the dark haired woman was faster. Belle was still a little light-headed and it was with pathetically little effort that Regina returned her to the bed.

Regina held her down by her shoulders. “You’re a foolish girl. I ought to just let him have you. But I need to know what you did to send him away in the first place.”

“Oh aye, she’s the foolish one, is she?” A third voice, low, male, and heavily accented.

Belle craned her neck to see past Regina, only to once again meet the eye of Lord Von Stiltskin. This time, the room did not melt away. He appeared only a man in the flickering candlelight. One corner of his mouth rose in a crooked smile.

Regina backed away from the bed and straightened. “How did you get in here?”

Von Stiltskin shrugged. “I have my ways. Also, you forgot to lock the door.”

Regina’s hand flew to the pocket sewn into the fold of her skirt where she had secreted the key away. Von Stiltskin advanced on her and she backed away. Belle quietly climbed from the bed, one eye on them, and began to gather up her clothing. They were between her and the door, but she sized up the distance as best she could in the low light.

He extended a hand “Give me the key, Regina.”

The woman shook her head. “You shall not keep a prisoner in my house. I know what you did to Zelena.”

“ _I_ will not keep her prisoner at all.” Von Stiltskin had backed Regina into a corner. “As for Zelena, that was not my doing. Yes, she briefly had my attention, but I found her… wanting.” He whirled around, impossibly fast and caught Belle by the arm, as she was readying to sneak past. 

“But you…” his voice seemed to echo, it filled the room. “What is it about you, my little Lady Belle? Noble of birth and of spirit, it seems. No one has ever… No matter. If you wish to go, I’ll not stop you. But I had hoped to… make your further acquaintance, as it were.”

“Now?” Belle’s voice was barely a whisper.

He nodded, his eyes running the length of her body in a way that felt almost like a caress. “Now is all there ever is. Come with me. Tonight.”

There was something almost predatory in his gaze and it should have frightened her. It should have sent her running for the hills. Instead, she felt it in the pit of her stomach, a flash of heat that shot up her spine and down to the apex of her legs. Her mouth fell open and she trembled in his grasp. In all her life, Belle had never done anything more exciting than spend a night in the city. She longed for great adventures but had been told she must content herself with those she could find in books.

But she was not naïve. Belle knew what this man truly wanted of her – and worse, that she wanted the same.  

She knew she ought to be an obedient daughter and return to her father’s house, unsullied. She ought to live out her provincial life, marry a dull man who could not make her blood run hot with a million kisses the way Von Stiltskin did with a mere touch. As the moment stretched out between them, she also knew that had never really been a choice. From the moment their eyes met, she had been his for the taking. She wanted to offer up herself in ways that should have made a maiden blush. Yet here she was, steadfast, unblushing and unashamed of her desire.

“I will go with you.”

They departed, hand in hand, to the sounds of Regina’s dismay. On their path through the manor, they passed a wall length mirror. In it, Belle saw herself walking alone, though she could feel him at her side. Her hand clutched the air, despite the solidity of his within it. Her mind worked, fitting the pieces together. She had read of such creatures. Only days before, she might have dismissed it as fancy or a trick of the light. Tonight had opened her eyes in so very many ways.  

And so now, at least, she knew the nature of the beast with whom she was making her escape.


	2. First Taste

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous said:  
> I'm the anon that sent the Vampire prompt. I absolutely love it so far & hope there's a part 2. I would love if u still have Belle looking in the mirror when the smut happens if that's ok? Thank u for accepting my prompt! :)
> 
> Anonymous said:  
> Belle is a virgin & has her first orgasm (without knowing) while receiving oral sex for the first time.

Von Stiltskin had helped her into a black carriage that moved preternaturally fast once she was seated. Before long, they arrived at his manor, vast, grey and imposing against the purple night sky. She caught merely a glimpse of its spires and arching window frames before he guided through the massive door, bolting it shut behind them. She wondered if those had been gargoyles she saw hidden in the shadows, or something far more sinister. With Von Stiltskin’s existence proof of the impossible, nothing could thought beyond believing.

The front hall was too dark to make out more than a few shapes, furniture and then the stairs. Von Stiltskin seemed to know his way without looking, escorting her with one hand at the small of her back. He lit a candle that awaited at the bottom landing. In silence, they mounted a broad, curving stairway. The carpeting was thick and lush beneath her feet.

Belle’s blood was pulsing hot and fast, rushing in her ears. All her senses were attuned to the man at her side. Though he was slight, he loomed large in her senses. Even the whisper of his silk shirt beneath the heavy brocade of his frock coat seemed to echo in the high-ceilinged hallway he lead her down. At length, he opened a heavy wooden door and they both walked through it. It closed behind her with a sound that made her think of a coffin lid shutting.

For the first time in this little encounter, Belle felt a hint of trepidation. Perversely, this only proved to excite her further.

“You must think me either very bold or very foolish, My Lord” Belle broke the quiet, at last, turning to face him.

Von Stiltskin’s mouth quirked, his face half shadowed by the spiraling curls that framed it. “Would you think it rude if I said perhaps both are true?”

Belle shook her head with a soft smile. “I can live with the burden of a dichotomous existence, if you can.”

Von Stiltskin chuckled. “Indeed I can.” He grasped her waist with both hands, pulling her to him. His eyes locked on hers once more in the low light.

She could feel him in her mind, aching to peel away the ruins of her dress, burning for the feel of her warm flesh. She felt the answering glow of sin, sparking in her low belly and spreading like wildfire to her loins. She sent it back to him in full force, baring her soul before her body had lost a stitch.

This time when her mind touched his, he did not pull away from her. One hand trailed up her bodice to settle on her neck, slightly chilly fingers brushing against her throbbing pulse point.

“So daring… so deliciously brash and fearless…” His grip tightened just slightly, his eyes half-lidded and unreadable. “Did no one ever teach you to fear the creatures of the night, my brave little Belle?”

Belle’s throat worked against the slight pressure Von Stiltskin was applying. “I won’t fear you.”

He backed them against the nearest wall. Belle could feel fabric against her back and something hard and cold beneath that. A window, perhaps? That idle thought flitted away as Von Stiltskin pressed himself flush to the full length of her body. She trembled, but not from fright.

“No?” he asked, his tone light and casual, as though they were discussing the weather.

“No. You shan’t harm me.” Belle affirmed gently, realizing how true it was only as she spoke the words aloud. She didn’t know how it was she knew, but there it was. She knew without a moment’s hesitation that the man in front her was deadly dangerous. That he had killed before and would again. But not her. Never her.

_How could she possibly know that? Had she gone mad?_

Von Stiltskin gave a short laugh that was eaten up in the stillness of the room. “You’re not mad. At least not… in the conventional sense.”

He backed away from her with a fluid movement and took up the candle. After he had lit a few others in the room, she could begin to take in their surroundings. There was a tapestry at her back, dusty but exquisitely detailed. It did seem to be covering a window, as were a few others around the room. In one corner, there was an enormous armoire that looked very old. Next to that was a mahogany dresser with ornate handles and matching vanity with a low satin seat in front of it. Across the top of the vanity, where a mirror would be, a swath of fabric was draped.

Belle crossed to the mirror, wanting to see if Von Stiltskin would appear in the mirror. Needing to confirm that what she had seen before was not an illusion. She reached for the fabric and gave it a pull. As it fell away, she felt Von Stiltskin at her back.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” His voice was in her ear, his breath tickling the sensitive skin there.

“I needed to see.”

The uncovered mirror reflected only herself. Behind her, a large canopy bed and candles burning from sconces set on either side. No sign of the being at her back, though his presence was solid. She could feel him there… wanting…. She leaned into him and he inhaled sharply.

“I needed to know if you were real.”

In the mirror, invisible hands disposed of her tattered corset “Aye, I’m real.” A touch of his warm breath to the to her jawline. “As real as any other nightmare.”

She gave an infinitesimal shake of her head. “You’re not a nightmare.”

Her underskirts dropped away.

“Oh? And what am I, then? Perhaps a young girl’s dream?” Von Stiltskin’s mouth trailed along the side of her neck and she tilted her head to allow him access.

Her skin turned to gooseflesh at the gentle touch, not quite a kiss but teasingly intimate. “I have dreamt of you. Only I never knew… I never realized it was you,” she admitted in a whisper. “I have always wanted you to find me, I think. To take me here and make me your own.” Words that should have made her blush. Words that could never have been spoken in the light of day seemed to find a natural home here in the glinting candlelight.

He made a greedy sound deep in his throat. His unseen hands slid over her cotton shift to cup her breasts. Her nipples pebbled beneath his touch, instantly tender and needy for sensation. Through the thin fabric, he rolled the peaks between forefinger and thumb. Her hips juddered involuntarily, her knees feeling weak. He caught her around the waist with one arm. From beneath heavy lids, she could see her body sag into thin air, supported by his lithe strength.

“No one else has ever touched you like this?” he murmured, clever fingers still manipulating her breast in a way that may her keen and buck her hips.

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. She could feel the curl of his lips into a smile against her shoulder.

He turned them elegantly, as in a dance, and lead her back to the bed behind them. She sat automatically when the backs of her knees hit the edge. He knelt at her feet, amber eyes shining gold in the flickering light.

“May I taste you, Lady Belle?”

She swallowed hard, that edge of fear mixed with heady arousal blanketing her senses. She nodded mutely. He was a dark creature, after all. And he would take what was his. Belle could deny him nothing. She was already too far gone.

His hands, still cool but warmed from her skin, wrapped around her ankles and pulled them gently apart. One hand on each leg made a maddeningly slow path up, pulling her shift with them. At the top of her stockings, he paused to loose the ribbons that held them fast. When he reached the edge of her undergarments, he coaxed her to lean back and eased them down. She propped herself on both elbows, still watching him in fascination. The fabric was sodden at the apex of her undergarment and Von Stiltskin seemed to take note of this, with pleasure. With her eyes still trained on his, she could feel it radiating from him, his awareness of her arousal. Every touch was magnified tenfold in intensity.

Overwhelmed, she forced herself to look away from him and, by default, caught her reflection once more. Nothing drawn in any book she’d ever seen had been so breathtakingly wanton. Her legs were spread open at the edge of the bed. Their pale columns parted to reveal the dark curls glistening around her flushed center. Never had she seen herself so intimately.

This was how he saw her now. And nothing in heaven or earth could have changed her mind that this was where exactly where she needed to be. Spread before him like a buffet of carnal delight.

_Would he take her, now? Like this? Would he taste of her life’s blood, as her books said he would wish to?_

Her gaze still on the mirror, she saw his head descend in her peripheral and she braced herself to feel herself bitten.

Instead, she felt something warm, wet, and firm slide against that most intimate place. Her body jolted with this unknown sensation, but more from surprise than anything else. She looked back at his head of spiraling curls. He repeated the motion and Belle’s mouth fell open. It was a caress of his tongue!

The taste he had asked was not what she thought and she sought his eyes, once more. They flicked to hers and sparkled as he read her confusion. Rather than answer the question she held in her mind. He began to trace the shape of her nether lips and she shuddered against him. His hands held her hips firmly in place as he made a study of all those secret places she had barely even explored herself.

It felt as though her world were coming apart at the seams. Hot waves of desire flooded her anew and Von Stiltskin drank them down, lapping fervently at her core. When his tongue began to circle the fleshy nub at its center, her vision went hazy and unfocused. She could not keep his gaze any longer. With one more stolen glance at her reflection, flushed and panting, she collapsed back onto the bed.

Von Stiltskin worked at that place between her legs, holding her to him until her legs trembled and she was moaning loudly into the candlelit room. Inarticulate words passed her lips in a plea or a prayer, or perhaps a curse, she couldn’t be sure. All she knew was that she wanted – she _needed_ – more.

His mouth on her coaxed forward things she had never known or even really dreamt she could feel. Something within her felt bowstring taut, ready to break. A sudden sharp pain pierced the tender skin of her inner thigh and she shattered into a million pieces.


End file.
